North America's 15 Least Frustrating Airports

As uncomfortable and tedious as air travel can be, there are some airports in North America that fliers find to be rather pleasant. Bloomberg Businessweek recently completed a study outlining the most frustrating airports in the land, but it also created a list of the most satisfying for fliers.

Using a combination of data from a 39-question survey of 3,000 frequent fliers, on-time arrival and departure data, along with a calculation of how easy or difficult it is to reach the facility by car and public transportation, Bloomberg created what it called “The Airport Frustration Index.” Measured out of a maximum of 100, airports with the highest frustration index are the most … well, frustrating, while those with the lowest are the least.

With that in mind, here are the 15 least frustrating airports in North America.

12. Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL)

Frustration Index: 44.8

Why it's pleasant: It's somewhat surprising to see Hartsfield-Jackson, an annual contender for the title of World's Busiest Airport, so high on our list. With easy access to and from the heart of Atlanta available via MARTA trains and several highways, ATL finished with the second-easiest commute at just 22 minutes.

The airport's 79% on-time percentage is good enough for 14th best. However that's very good considering its closest rival in terms of passenger volume, Chicago O'Hare, languishes in 35th place, with only 69% of flights leaving on time. Like a few of the other airports on this list, Hartsfield-Jackson did not exhibit any glaring weaknesses, but its amenities also didn't manage to wow many passengers.

7. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)

Frustration Index: 31.7

Why it's pleasant: SeaTac is the first of Pacific Northwest airports to appear on the list. A major hub for Alaska Airlines and Delta's new gateway to the Pacific rim, the airport is now become one of the busiest in the region. The airport manages to get a fantastic 83% of its flights off on time. Reviewers also found SeaTac's facilities to be solid.

4. Calgary International Airport (YYC)

Frustration Index: 27.7

Why it's pleasant: Calgary International makes it into the fourth spot on Bloomberg's list based on high survey ratings for its security lines and bathrooms. The airport's 82% on-time rating is good enough for eighth-best out of the 36 airports featured.